SAN JOSE, California, April 7 /PRNewswire/ --

Atmel(R) Corporation (Nasdaq: ATML) and Melexis Microelectronic
Integrated Systems N.V. (Euronext Brussels: MELE) announced today their
innovative development kit, Yuma+, for contactless, highly secure RFID
transactions. The Yuma+ solution is based on Atmel's secure CryptoRF(R)
chips, with 64-bit embedded cryptographic engines. Atmel's AVR(R)
microcontroller and the Melexis MLX90121 reader IC.

With the Yuma+ kit, developers of secure RFID systems no longer need an
in-depth understanding of the complex details of cryptography in order to
deploy secure host-client RFID systems that depend on mutual authentication
and data encryption. Yuma+ also eliminates the need to dive deeply into the
details of the ISO14443B RFID standard, providing a fully turnkey reader and
tag solution. Developers of secure RFID systems can now spend less time
worrying about the intricacies of security and RFID and focus instead on fast
deployment of their secure contactless applications.

Yuma+ includes a module board and an interface board. The module board
which contains an AVR ATMega168 microcontroller, an MLX90121 RFID transceiver
chip, and simple SPI connectivity is internally matched to connect to any 50
Ohm antenna for seamless incorporation into any system. The interface board
connects to a PC through USB to provide an evaluation platform for the
module. Yuma+ also comes with an assortment of CryptoRF tags, software CD
with schematics, board layout files and a binary image of the firmware for
quick and easy integration.

"Atmel and Melexis are collaborating on today's applications and actual
market needs," said Gilles Cerede, product marketing manager for Melexis.
"CryptoRF, now available in a variety of shapes and sizes of robust tags, is
the best solution for high security at a low cost compared to contactless
microcontrollers. For Melexis, CryptoRF is a great complement and at the
right price."

"Yuma+ offers customers an attractive alternative to current market
solutions," stated Jean-Pierre Benhammou, business development manager for
Atmel. "Thanks to their extensive RF experience and their proven design
capability in the contactless reader area, Melexis has been able to design
the best reader solution for our CryptoRF chip."

Availability and Pricing

CryptoRF devices, ATMega168 microcontroller and Yuma+ (AT88SCRF-ADK1)
development kits are now available through Atmel's normal sales channel.
MLX90121 is available through the Melexis sales channel. The Yuma+ kit sells
for US$99.95.

About Atmel

Atmel is a worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of
microcontrollers, advanced logic, mixed-signal, nonvolatile memory and radio
frequency (RF) components. Leveraging one of the industry's broadest
intellectual property (IP) technology portfolios, Atmel is able to provide
the electronics industry with complete system solutions focused on consumer,
industrial, security, communications, computing and automotive markets.

About Melexis

Melexis Microelectronic Integrated Systems N.V. (Euronext Brussels: MELE)
is a mixed signal semiconductor manufacturer. Our core experience supplying
ICs for automotive electronics sustains the expansion into Application
Specific Standard Products for industrial and consumer product applications.
Melexis' enthusiastically pursues its role as a component supplier whose
innovations, while physically small, are the essential element in nearly
every one of our customers' extraordinary systems. At Melexis we believe that
"Small things make a big difference". Melexis' products include sensor,
communication, actuator ICs and Application Specific Integrated Circuits
(ASICs).

(C) 2008 Atmel Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Atmel(R), logo and
combinations thereof, AVR (R), CryptoRF(R) and others, are registered
trademarks or trademarks of Atmel Corporation or its subsidiaries. Other
terms and product names may be trademarks of others.

Information:

MLX90121 product information may be retrieved on the Melexis web site at:
http://www.melexis.com/Wireless_ICs/RFID_Transceivers_1356MHz/
MLX90121_78.aspx

Atmel's CryptoRF(R) product information may be retrieved at:
http://www.atmel.com/products/SecureRF/

Atmel Press Contacts:
    Sharon Harnisch, Marketing Communications manager
    Tel: +1-719-540-1723, Email: Sharon.Harnisch@atmel.com

    Helen Perlegos, Public Relations
    Tel: +1-408-487-2963, Email: Helen.Perlegos@atmel.com

    Melexis Press Contacts :
    Rick Moens Marketing Communications Specialist
    Tel: +32-13-67-07-95, E-mail: rmo@melexis.com

    Peter Riendeau Marketing Communications Manager
    Tel: +1-603-223-2362, Email: pre@melexis.com



Web site: http://www.atmel.com